MatCats need to shore up upper, lower weights, beat Ronan

Hungry Horse News

The Columbia Falls wrestling team has had some inconsistency in the top and bottom of its lineup in recent duals.

And even though many of those weights are filled by freshmen and sophomores, coach Wes Knutson said it's the time of the season when they should start producing better results.

The No. 10 ranked Wildcats (8-7) went 1-2 in duals last week. They beat Ronan 54-21 on Jan. 20, got crushed by Flathead 57-19 later that night, and then lost again to Polson 43-27 on Saturday.

In each of those duals Columbia Falls got most of its wins from wrestlers in the middleweights.

Aric Tarr (125), Dalvin Averill (135), Bobby Opp (140), Nik Caron (171) and Tommy Church (275) all had pins against Ronan. Columbia Falls also had assistance from Ronan's porous lineup, which had to give up four forfeits for a total of 24 points.

Columbia Falls lost five of six matches in the weights between 145 and 215 pounds. That dismal streak included three pins and a forfeit. The Wildcats also lost by a pin at 98 pounds.

In another home dual later that night, Columbia Falls only had a few bright spots, as it took a pounding from a fierce Flathead squad.

Columbia Falls gave up seven pins and two forfeits. Flathead wrestlers pinned Jesse Woodward (189), Caron (215), Church (275), Clayton Patterson (98), Tyson Nelson (119), Opp (140) and Brighton Hollis (152).

Michael Hader (130) lost 11-7 to the Braves Duran Flaget.

But the Wildcats did have some highlights.

The match between Wildcat freshman Cody Kolodejchuk and T.C. Decker at 105 pounds put the eager Columbia Falls crowd in a frenzy.

Kolodejchuk showed his skills and fortitude as he overcame a 4-1 deficit in the third period to win 8-4.

After the dual, the beaming freshman said it was the toughest match he ever wrestled.

"That was exciting," Knutson said. "He was determined. He just kept hanging in there."

Calvin Williams had a solid match, as he easily beat Scott Cassel 10-1 at 160. Cory Pete (119) pinned A.J. Stoick. Aric Tarr controlled Brandon Mitchell for a 9-3 win at 125. Dalvin Averill (135) came back in the third period to beat Ryan Nelson.

The Wildcats had trouble in lower and upper weight classes with Polson, too.

Polson wrestlers pinned Wildcats in the three lowest weight classes and won every match but one in weights greater than 145 pounds.

Church (275) and Ryan Buck (145) had the only pins for Columbia Falls. Pete (119), Tarr (125), Hader (130) and Opp (140) also had victories.

"We just have to get some consistency in those lowers and uppers," Knutson said. "We don't have that right now."

Columbia Falls doesn't have much longer to reverse that trend. The Wildcats wrestle their last dual of the season against Whitefish at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at home.